Clear aligners, not metal braces.
For adults and children who want straighter teeth without metal braces, from a dentist who will not judge or rush you. Dentique uses Invisalign clear aligners instead of brackets and wires, and Dr. Xhelo Shuaipaj DDS FDOCS FICOI, one dentist with more than 30 years of experience, plans every case personally.
Dentique straightens teeth with Invisalign clear aligners rather than traditional metal, ceramic, or lingual braces, and makes custom retainers to keep your teeth in place afterward. So the honest answer to whether we do braces here is no, not fixed braces: we straighten teeth with removable clear aligners, and if your case is complex enough that an orthodontist and braces are the better fit, we tell you and refer you.
Clear aligners and custom retainers, planned by one experienced dentist.
Complex bite or jaw cases that an orthodontist and braces handle better. We tell you honestly and refer you.
Clear aligners and braces both straighten teeth, so the choice comes down to your case complexity, not effort. Clear aligners, the removable Invisalign trays offered at Dentique, are far less visible than metal brackets and suit most mild-to-moderate crowding, spacing, and many bite cases. Traditional braces, the fixed brackets placed by an orthodontist, still handle the most complex bite and jaw corrections.
| At a glance | Clear aligners (offered here) | Braces (referred out) |
|---|---|---|
| What they are | Removable Invisalign trays | Fixed brackets and wires |
| Visibility | Far less visible | Visible metal or ceramic |
| Best for | Mild-to-moderate crowding, spacing, many bites | The most complex bite and jaw corrections |
| Removable | Yes, for eating and cleaning | No, fixed until removed |
| Placed by | Your dentist at Dentique | An orthodontist we refer you to |
Dentique provides clear aligners and retainers. If braces are the better fit for your case, we will tell you and refer you.
A retainer is a custom-made appliance that holds your teeth in their new position, so they do not shift back out of line after your teeth are straightened. Dentique makes custom retainers for you here, fitted to your mouth. There are a few common types patients ask about.
Worn at night, slim and see-through.
A metal wire on an acrylic base, removable.
A thin wire bonded behind the teeth, always in place.
Clear retainers made for Invisalign patients.
These types are general patient education. Dentique makes custom retainers for you here, and confirms which type fits your teeth at your visit.
A retainer keeps your teeth from slowly shifting back after treatment, which is why most people wear one nightly, often long-term, to hold the result. Teeth naturally try to move over the years, and without a retainer they can slide back toward where they started. Most patients settle into wearing a clear retainer at night, and some move to every other night over time once their teeth have stayed put.
Usually nightly, to hold your result in place.
So we can check the fit over time.
Clear retainers are usually replaced every few years; wire and fixed types last longer.
This is general guidance rather than a promise, and the pattern that fits you is something you set with your dentist.
The honest answer is that the cost depends on what your teeth need, whether you straighten with clear aligners and how many, and which retainer you choose. Nationally these have typical ranges, and at Dentique your exact price is confirmed in writing at your consultation, before you commit.
Nationally about $125 to $500 depending on type. A national reference, not a Dentique price.
Priced separately from a retainer, and confirmed in writing at your consultation.
Confirmed in writing at your consult, with no surprises.
Local Downers Grove and Lemont straightening and retainer fees are supplied by the client and shown here before publish.
Many dental plans that include an orthodontic benefit may put money toward clear-aligner treatment, and Dentique works with most major PPO plans and offers financing. Coverage is often capped at a lifetime orthodontic maximum, and retainers may be handled separately from straightening, so we help you check your specific benefit at your consultation.
We work with most major PPO plans.
CareCredit, Cherry, and Sunbit.
Use those dollars if you have them.
At your consult, before you decide.
Plans we work with include Delta Dental, MetLife, Cigna, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, UnitedHealthcare, Guardian, and Humana.
Clear-aligner treatment uses smooth removable trays and a gentle digital scan instead of drills or messy impressions, so treatment itself is low-stress, and for anxious patients we offer nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation for any dental work that feels harder. Most people find the aligners easy to live with: mild pressure for a day or two when you switch trays, and nothing sharp to catch your cheek.
Smooth removable trays instead.
No goopy impressions.
For time away from the dentist.
Nitrous oxide or oral conscious sedation. IV sedation is not offered.
Dr. Xhelo Shuaipaj is one dentist with more than 30 years of experience, and he holds FDOCS and FICOI credentials, so he plans your straightening and your retainer personally, with no pressure and no judgment. You see the same dentist each visit, not a rotating team, which is part of why many patients stay with Dentique for 15, 20, and 25 years.
Over 400 five-star reviews across both offices.
The same dentist plans and oversees every case.
What patients tell us about the care here.
Confirmed at your consult, no surprises.
No, Dentique does not place braces. We straighten teeth with Invisalign clear aligners and make custom retainers, and we refer genuinely complex cases to an orthodontist.
A general dentist can straighten teeth with clear aligners for many mild-to-moderate cases. Complex bite or jaw cases are better handled by an orthodontist, and we tell you honestly which one you are.
A retainer is usually worn nightly and long-term to keep your teeth from shifting. Some people reduce to every other night over time once their teeth have stayed in place.
A fixed retainer is a thin wire bonded behind your teeth that stays in place; a removable retainer is a clear or wire appliance you take out. Each has trade-offs in convenience and upkeep.
Adults are among the most common clear-aligner patients. Straightening works at many ages, and the removable trays fit easily into adult work and social life.
Dental plans with an orthodontic benefit may cover part of clear-aligner treatment, often up to a lifetime maximum. We help you check your specific benefit at your consultation.
Nationally, a single replacement retainer commonly runs roughly $125 to $500 depending on the type. This is a national range, not a Dentique price; your exact price is confirmed in writing.
Dr. Xhelo Shuaipaj DDS FDOCS FICOI is the sole dentist at Dentique Dental Care, with more than 30 years of experience, rotating between the Downers Grove and Lemont offices, and he personally plans and reviews clear-aligner and retainer care here. FDOCS marks him as a Fellow of DOCS Education, the sedation training body. FICOI marks him as a Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. Every clinical claim on this page reflects his review.
Book a no-pressure consult, a relaxed first visit with Dr. Shuaipaj, where he looks at your teeth, tells you honestly whether clear aligners fit or an orthodontist is better, plans your retainer, and confirms your price in writing, with no obligation. There is no hard sell and no judgment. If a retainer is all you need, we can start there.
Downers Grove (630) 454-9299
Lemont (630) 685-0017
Judgment-free, no obligation, your price in writing, and sedation available if you are anxious.
Get the smile you deserve today!